The Vincentian Trend in the NFL

“Dalton to Boyd,” a phrase that has become linked to the ending of the Buffalo Bills 17-year playoff drought.

It has become as synonymous with the Bills as blue and red Zubaz pants and table-breaking tailgate parties. On the last week of the 2017 regular season, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton threw a game-winning 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Boyd to beat the Baltimore Ravens; a play that sent the Bills to the playoffs.

That touchdown pass not only ended the Bills’ 17-year playoff drought, but also started a Vincentian trend that has taken the NFL by storm. After the game, Bills fans across the world started to donate to the Andy and Jordan Foundation as a thank you for essentially ending what was the longest playoff drought in professional sports.

On Jan. 4, Dalton posted an update video to Twitter saying that his donation received over $315,000 from Bills fans in the days after the famous Dalton to Boyd connection was made.

“This has been absolutely amazing. We’re just so blessed that so many people are willing to give to our foundation.”

The Vincentian trend didn’t stop there. Just two weeks later, Bengals fans raised over $5,000 for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles’ charity, The Blake Bortles Foundation in appreciation for beating their one of their rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in this year’s AFC Divisional Round playoff game.

On Jan. 14, Thomas Morstead and the New Orleans Saints lost the game now known as the “Minneapolis Miracle” to the Minnesota Vikings. In another act of Vincentian ways, Vikings fans raised over $200,000 for Morstead’s foundation, What You Give Will Grow, as a sign of respect as Morstead played the entire NFC Divisional Round playoff game with torn cartilage in his ribs.

Not only does this trend of donating to opposing players’ charities fall in line with the Vincentian values of NU, it also shows that sports can be used as a way to contribute to a common good.